People in Mixenden and Illingworth can soon put their names forward to be part of a new Neighbourhood Board, to decide how the £20 million Pride in Place grant will be invested to create an even more thriving area.
This is the next major step forward for the Pride in Place(external link) programme. It comes after the Government announced in September 2025 that Mixenden and parts of Illingworth would receive a £20 million boost over 10 years, to make long-term improvements led by the local community.
In the coming weeks, people from the community will be able to express their interest in joining the Neighbourhood Board, which will have an Independent Chair. This is being set up to lead the Pride in Place investment and ensure local people are at the heart of improvements that matter to them.
The Government has published guidelines on how the money can be spent to enhance public spaces, community hubs, high streets, heritage and culture. Calderdale Council and the MP for Halifax, Kate Dearden, are looking forward to working with the community to decide how the investment will have the best impact beyond the next 10 years.
The significant Pride in Place investment will be guided by the ambitious North Halifax Strategy(external link), which is shaping the future that local people want in Mixenden, Ovenden, Illingworth and surrounding areas after extensive community engagement.
The strategy sets out a shared vision for creating stronger, healthier and more resilient communities across north Halifax. It brings together local residents and organisations to tackle inequalities, unlock opportunities and improve quality of life for everyone who lives and works in the area.
Cllr Jane Scullion, Calderdale Council’s Leader, said:
“North Halifax is a community with a strong sense of identity. Local people feel very proud of where they live and work, and are passionate about making their area a better place for everyone.
“As part of our commitment to ensuring Mixenden and surrounding areas thrive, and in developing the community-led North Halifax Strategy, we’ve been working with local people and organisations to turn their priorities into action.
“We’re already seeing the wonderful things that can happen when everyone works together. The Pride in Place investment is testament to how well this is working, and is a real achievement and boost for the area.
“The joint action we’ll be taking with Pride in Place, as a whole community, builds on the great existing partnership work, and we’re excited to see it take shape. We’ll soon be reaching out to local residents and organisations about getting involved in the Neighbourhood Board.”
Kate Dearden, MP for Halifax, said:
“I’m delighted to have secured this £20 million for our community – and I’m pleased we’re now progressing with the next steps to deliver this funding and ensure local voices lead this process every step of the way.
“As we open up the process to ask residents to show their interest for the chair and board member roles, I look forward to seeing the fantastic local candidates who put their names forward – and to continuing to work with our community to deliver this transformational funding for Mixenden and Illingworth.”
Proposals for the Pride in Place funding will add to the community-led work already set out in the North Halifax Strategy, and will build on the investment made so far from Calderdale Council and the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This includes the new Mixenden Community Hub, transformative work at Ash Green Primary School and Sunny Bank play area, Active Calderdale investment to help people move more in their everyday lives for health and wellbeing, and improvements to public spaces and local infrastructure to help create safer, more welcoming areas.
The investment in Mixenden and parts of Illingworth supports Vision 34 – a shared, long-term ambition to work towards over the next 10 years to make Calderdale a better place for everyone, based on the stories that unite us.
The Vision 34 themes are enterprising, opportunity, kind, welcoming, hope, heritage, nature and creativity. Through these themes, organisations and people from all walks of life are encouraged to share their positive stories about life in Calderdale.
Share your story on the My Calderdale Story website: https://my.walls.io/mycalderdalestory(external link)